UNIFYD, a music festival curated by Shah Rukh Khan, will make its debut on March 20, 2027, bringing together three of India’s biggest musical voices, Arijit Singh, Karan Aujla and Sonu Nigam, for a historic one-day celebration at Etihad Live, Yas Island.

UNIFYD is founded on a simple belief: India’s artists belong on the world’s biggest stages. The festival is produced by D’YAVOL Live and District, the going-out platform, and presented in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, in association with Emirates NBD.

Designed as a large-scale international festival with world-class production, the inaugural edition will unfold across multiple stages, offering an experience rooted in Indian music and culture for audiences from India, the Middle East, and the wider global South Asian community.

The festival will see iconic performances by Arijit Singh, one of India’s most celebrated voices and a two-time National Film Award winner, and Karan Aujla, the global Punjabi music phenomenon whose music has reached audiences across continents, along with a special set by Sonu Nigam, one of India’s most legendary and enduring artists, who will perform at a music festival for the first time in his stellar career. The one-day festival will see more than 15 artists come together across multiple stages.

Serving as the festival’s curator, Shah Rukh Khan, is at the heart of UNIFYD. For more than three decades, he has helped take Indian cinema far beyond its traditional borders, building an extraordinary connection with audiences across generations and geographies. With UNIFYD, he now brings that same instinct for storytelling, scale and cultural connection to live music, shaping the festival’s artistic direction and creative vision.

Speaking about UNIFYD, Shah Rukh Khan said: “I’ve spent a lifetime telling stories on screen and watching them bring people together. Music has that same extraordinary power. UNIFYD, produced by D’YAVOL Live along with District, will unite India’s most incredible artists on a shared stage for the first time. The festival promises to be a true spectacle in terms of its scale, energy, and grandeur.”

UNIFYD has been conceived as a festival with global ambitions, with plans to expand into new cities and markets around the world.

Commenting on the launch of UNIFYD, Bunty Singh, Co-Founder, D’YAVOL Live, said: “Indian music is already global. UNIFYD gives that cultural force a festival platform that matches its scale, ambition and influence. Bringing together artists of this stature on the same day, in a lineup that has never existed before, is what makes the first edition so special. The production, setting and overall experience have been built to match the scale of that moment.”

Rahul Ganjoo, CEO, District, said:“Indian culture travels further than any single genre or generation, and UNIFYD is built to bring all of it together on one stage. Together with D’YAVOL Live, we are creating an experience for audiences and the diaspora that goes far beyond a single night of performances, something they will remember long after the lights come up.”

The choice of Abu Dhabi as its inaugural city reflects both the scale of the festival’s ambition and the increasingly deep cultural connection between India and the UAE. Yas Island, one of the region’s premiere entertainment destinations, provides a natural setting for UNIFYD, bringing together audiences from across the world.

The first edition is being held in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, and in association with Emirates NBD, a leading banking group in the Middle East, North Africa, Türkiye and South Asia (MENATSA) region

For the global Indian & South Asian community, UNIFYD represents a cultural homecoming on an international stage. For audiences beyond the diaspora, it is an opportunity to experience the extraordinary scale, diversity and global appeal of contemporary Indian music in one place.

Tickets for UNIFYD will be available exclusively through the District app. Early access for Emirates NBD Cardholders begins at 9:30 AM GST (11:00 AM IST) on October 19, 2026 and continues until 9:30 AM GST (11:00 AM IST) on October 20, 2026. General sale opens at 10:30 AM GST (12:00 PM IST) on October 20, 2026.

For further information on the lineup, tickets and festival updates, visit the District app and follow @unifyd.festival and @districtuae on Instagram.